


To Woo a Bear

by jboh, Woofemus



Category: BanG Dream! Girl's Band Party! (Video Game)
Genre: Bears, F/F, this is the second worst thing I've tagged
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-05
Updated: 2018-06-05
Packaged: 2019-05-18 12:04:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,171
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14852412
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jboh/pseuds/jboh, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Woofemus/pseuds/Woofemus
Summary: “Well, I’ve never been hit on by a bear before, but as the great bard has said, there’s a first time for everything. Ah, was my beauty so great that even bears are attracted to me?! Is this a blessing, or a curse? I wonder...”





	To Woo a Bear

**Author's Note:**

> sometimes you just accidentally shitpost too hard

The rain is coming down hard today. And, just as Misaki’s luck tends to go nowadays, she has work.

It’s always one of the worst things when she has to work on these days because the rain bogs down Michelle and makes it even harder to move around. She’s always ready to crawl into bed for the rest of the night at the end of her shifts, showering and homework be damned.

At least, the water would have been soaking into her suit today if not for the umbrella over her. Misaki looks over to her side, and Kaoru is already flashing one of her charming smiles at her. Misaki's lucky that the bear suit is hiding the grimace that she immediately makes.

Okay, she's still getting wet, all on her other side because Kaoru actually isn't taller than the suit so she has to raise the umbrella high to cover the both of them. It probably—no, it does look really dumb to everyone, Misaki knows. Kaoru is most likely soaking wet too since she's focused on trying to get the umbrella over Michelle, and the umbrella isn't even actually big enough for it, much less both of them.

So that’s why they’re both standing here outside in the rain trying to share an umbrella but still soaking wet. Or, well, at least, part of Michelle is and Misaki herself isn’t, and all of Kaoru most certainly is. And it wasn’t even Misaki’s idea, it was _all_ Kaoru’s as it always was, insisting that “such a lovely creature as yourself shouldn’t ruin your wonderful fur like this.”

… never mind that Michelle isn’t even a real bear, and the fur she has is artificial, and… and… everything else really.

And yet, Kaoru doesn't even look bothered at all. She's still smiling, acting like everything's perfectly normal. At least, as normal as things can be if someone's holding an umbrella for a giant pink bear. Misaki has to give Kaoru some credit where it’s due, for being able to stand out in the rain for so long without even complaining.

But it isn’t as if Kaoru _should_ be standing out here in the rain, holding an umbrella for a giant pink bear suit. Misaki would have thought Kaoru could at least sensible about _some_ things, but this is apparently not one of them.

What the thing that’s _really_ bothering Misaki is that Kaoru's sincerity and the way she's honestly and seriously committed to doing this idiotic thing touches Misaki more than she wants to admit.

Maybe… maybe this isn't so bad. Kaoru is, frankly speaking, really weird, but she's been a perfect gentleman the entire time. Er, gentle… gentlewoman? Gentlegirl? What does Misaki even call her? Kaoru's not _that_ much older.

Misaki looks over at Kaoru again, who still has that smile on her face. If there’s one thing MIsaki can say of Kaoru, it’s that she’s _completely_ gotten down the smile of someone who doesn’t understand and pretends they do.

And this is all for… what? So a bear can go out with her? Is that it?

… why is Kaoru so _weird?_

Above, the rain continues to platter away on the tiny umbrella that doesn’t even cover them both. Next to her, Kaoru continues to smile and stand patiently even as people walk past and giggle at the both of them.

Misaki wants to go home.

* * *

To think, that it all started from what seemed like a perfectly normal day.

Misaki’s always felt bad about the way Kokoro’s black suits just… went and _bought_ the darn suit from them so she goes back and offers to play their mascot. They’re excited, no doubt from all the extra money they got from selling, but they seem genuinely surprised that she even wants to still work there. And, they’re still willing to pay her, which is nice, and a big plus since the pay was already so nice.

So Misaki’s standing outside in the shopping alley, still trying to pass out tissues and flyers, still waving to all the kids, still sweating up a storm inside her costume. Honestly, she should’ve aimed for getting a better, or, well, _easier_ job, but Misaki is too damned conscionable for her own good.

(The pay is also too good.)

There's no band practice today so Misaki hasn't seen Kaoru at all today. Just as she thinks that, she spies the exact person coming into sight at the end of the shopping district.

Kaoru’s coming down, a flock of girls around her per the usual. It’s the same old thing, really. Kaoru will walk through and wave to her and be on her way, all while entertaining the girls crowding around her without even missing a beat. If there’s anyone really committed to their act, it’s definitely Kaoru, Misaki thinks.

Had Misaki known what was going to happen, maybe she would’ve reconsidered taking the job in the first place. No, she _definitely_ would have reconsidered coming back.

Maybe it’d been one of the fangirls that got too over eager, wanting some of Kaoru’s attention on her. Or, as Kaoru would’ve put it, some trick of fate that day. Or, as things are likely to go, some kind of stray rock that happened to get in front of Kaoru’s way (which she’d say was a trick of fate anyway.)

Whatever the case, Kaoru is suddenly shouting as she falls ahead—

Misaki’s somehow managed to step forward at the same time Kaoru’s fallen, and rather than hitting the ground like Kaoru’s tightly closed eyes are expecting, she crashes into the soft fur of Michelle.

“Whoa!” Misaki’s blinking inside the costume, not that anyone can see her, wondering why it feels so heavy all of a sudden—oh, it’s just Kaoru on top of her. Normal. _Not._

As Misaki takes in Kaoru’s bent and kind of awkward pose, though, she guesses Kaoru’s probably tripped, or something. She doesn’t really know, nor does she care too much about the details of that.

“You okay there, Kaoru-san?” Misaki asks automatically though she’s sure Kaoru can’t hear her. She carefully places one of her hands on top of Kaoru’s shoulder in case the other girl needs to be steadied. It’s hard to notice except from this close up, but Misaki can feel Kaoru tensing slightly.

Huh. She hadn’t expected that. But Misaki still keeps her hand on Kaoru, just in case it looks like she needs it since she’s still bent over and her arms are wrapped around Michelle.

… Misaki’s so, _so_ glad she’s inside Michelle right now.

Kaoru slowly raises her head, blinking like she’s suddenly regained consciousness. Or something. Maybe she’s being overly dramatic right now. Misaki wouldn’t even put it past Kaoru sometimes.

“Oh?” Kaoru’s surprised but she quickly composes herself and straightens herself out. What a true actor, Misaki thinks. “Well, I’ve never been hit on by a bear before, but as the great bard has said, there’s a first time for everything. Ah, was my beauty so great that even bears are attracted to me?! Is this a blessing, or a curse? I wonder...”

It takes a very long time for Misaki to work through what Kaoru’s just said. Actually, she’s not sure she’s heard that right. She’s not sure if she’s _want_ to have heard that right. She’s _wishing_ she heard that wrong.

Except Kaoru is looking at her with an expression that says yes, she’s said _exactly_ what Misaki’s heard her say.

“ _Excuse me_?” Misaki’s so incredulous that she hadn’t even realized she’s said that aloud, or that her voice has come out as a startled squeak.

Where does she even begin with this? How could Kaoru come to this conclusion—no it’s _Kaoru_ , Misaki’s just answered her own question. Actually, how can Kaoru _say_ these things with a straight face?

But, most importantly—

_Why._

Misaki’s hand is _still_ on Kaoru’s shoulder. She quickly brings it back—except Kaoru snatches it, and now she’s tenderly cradling her hand. Michelle’s hand. Paw. Paw? _Something._ A strange gleam comes to Kaoru’s eyes, and Misaki feels her gut dropping in that instant.

Something’s about to happen.

Something _bad_.

Kaoru starts to shake her head, a sign of the danger about to come. “You’re so forward, Michelle! Even if you are my bandmate, we must…” Kaoru raises Michelle’s hand to her mouth and although Misaki is already screaming on the inside, her lips _don’t_ actually touch the back of Michelle’s hand—er, paw. It’s just shy of the distance. Misaki isn't sure if this makes it better or worse.

“We must take this slowly! Let me take you out on a proper date at least.” Kaoru winks at her. Misaki wants to gag.

“Absolutely—” and the _not_ gets drowned out by the fangirls starting to squeal. Do they work in harmony?! This is the worst time for them to go off like this.

Kaoru, in the middle of all the chaos, smiles charmingly at all of them before training her gaze on Misaki. The heated look in her eyes, the way her gaze don’t even stray even despite all the other girls trying to get her attention to, and—

Maybe it’s time for Misaki to throw Michelle into the river.

* * *

“—and then she just started coming everyday! It was kind of weird, and maybe a little funny at first, but it’s been several weeks already!” Misaki puts her hands on her face and groans.

Kanon only nods along, quietly eating the fries on her plate. Misaki asked to meet up with her at the diner for… advice on a matter, but she never thought it’d be for something like _this_. Kaoru had been oddly discreet about it during practice. Or, well, she was always so overdramatic about everything that Kanon didn't know all the love sonnets she suddenly wanted to sing were all for Michelle.

“Do you think Kaoru-san might just be, um, playing around?” Kanon asks.

The look Misaki gives her tells Kanon more than enough. Misaki’s really got that look down pat, Kanon thinks.

“She tried to carry me once. I had to hit her in the face to get her to stop.” Misaki squints at her. “She couldn’t even get one leg up before I felt her arms shaking. I wouldn’t hear the end of it from either Kokoro _and_ Kaoru-san if I let her go and break her arms like that.”

“W-wow!” Kanon doesn’t know what else to say or do other than stare wide-eyed at Misaki. If she’s being honest, it _is_ a little funny hearing all the misguided exploits of Kaoru trying to go out with Michelle, but Misaki looks like she’s at her wit’s end right now.

Misaki pauses her ranting to eat some of the fries off her own plate. She’s chewing loudly, no doubt irritated as she thinks about what to do about Kaoru. Also, the fries here are extra crispy and they’re no doubt exaggerating Misaki’s chewing—Misaki’s chewing is a lot more distracting than Kanon realizes. So, she focuses herself on their original topic, and looks at Kanon with mild concern—actually, coming from Kanon, it’s more like completely distressed.

Misaki isn’t mad. She’s _not_ mad. She’s… not upset, either. She’s just… annoyed. Exasperated.

Tired would be the better word, actually. Kaoru hasn’t stopped coming around since then, and Misaki just wants a quiet time while she’s trying to do her job.

“U-um, doesn’t she cause a lot of commotion when she comes in?” Kanon asks. Maybe the owners can ban Kaoru from coming within several feet of their premises if she keeps causing so much trouble. For all her sincerity and odd lines that only apply every once in a while, Kanon knows Kaoru tends to miss the things right in front of her. Literally.

“It’s not Kaoru-san if she doesn’t,” Misaki grumbles. “All the girls think it's cute and she brings in business so the owners are fine with it. And, she at least goes in to buy something at the store every few days.”

_”Put on your most dazzling smile for me when I come in,” Kaoru says as she flashes one of her own at Michelle._

_“... I can’t even smile.”_

_“Oh! How dreadful, to not be able to smile, unable to express the joy you feel in your life when you see me… what a terrible existence! How fleeting…”_

_“I mean, my expression doesn’t even change—I don’t know why I keep trying to explain these things to you.”_

Misaki groans, wishing she could forget everything that’s happened in the last two weeks. _That_ one might just be one of the more ridiculous conversations she’s ever had. She knows it won’t be her last one.

“If you really want her to stop, I think the best thing you can do is to, er, tell her the truth?” Kanon finally suggests.

“... do you really think she’ll believe me.” The way Misaki doesn’t even word it as a question shows exactly what she thinks about that.

“You can always try? I-I mean, if she believes you, then she’ll stop, right? And if she doesn’t… er…” Kanon trails off, evidently trying to figure out a positive outcome to Kaoru _not_ believing that maybe there might just be an actual human being inside Michelle.

Misaki sighs, loudly. “Well, what have I got to lose, I guess.”

They both pause, Kanon to take a sip of her tea, and Misaki to munch on some fries as she contemplates setting fire to the suit and getting rid of the whole damn thing entirely.

… she can’t even do that, Kokoro’s black suits would just have a new one ready by the next day. Hell, they’ll even show up just as Misaki’s finished getting rid of the first one to give her a second one.

She really does have nothing else to lose, huh.

Sighing deeply again (Kanon’s lost count of how many times she’s done that in the past twenty minutes alone), Misaki pushes aside her plate and all but slams her face into the table. Kanon startles, blinking rapidly and panicking when Misaki starts to groan.

“Misaki-chan?!”

“Help me, Kanon-san,” Misaki pleads, and she sounds so helpless, so pitiful, and so tired that Kanon just can't help herself. She's reaching out, awkwardly patting the top of Misaki's head.

“Good luck!” she says, knowing Misaki needs everything to get through… well, being wooed while she's wearing a pink bear suit. For all her grumbling, Misaki is such a nice girl to keep playing along with Kaoru. Kanon is sure she'd have died on the spot if that were to happen to her.

Misaki slowly looks up at her, smiles tiredly as she mumbles a thanks, and puts her head back down on the table. She doesn’t move after that, even when Kanon notices Misaki’s phone on the table lighting up with notifications from Kaoru.

Kanon asks for an extra cup of coffee for Misaki.

“Good luck, Misaki-chan!” she says again, and Misaki doesn’t answer other than giving her the most pitiful thumbs-up Kanon’s ever seen anyone give.

* * *

The next time Misaki has a day off, she decides to take the plunge and message Kaoru.

_We need to talk._

_That was from Michelle by the way._

Kaoru responds right away.

_Ask, and you shall receive, little kitten. What do you need?_

Misaki squints at her phone. Kaoru had sent her texts before but Misaki ignored them all. She wanted to talk to Michelle! She wanted to talk to a bear! Of course Misaki doesn’t want to respond. And now, when she finally does send a message, she gets _this_. Who even messages like this? Kaoru, apparently.

_Let’s meet up at the park._

_A date? Why, I’ll hurry on right over!_

_In two hours!_

And Misaki doesn’t even bother correcting Kaoru about the date, only putting her phone away with the longest sigh she’s made to date, of which the record will most likely be smashed in two hours anyway. Might as well start conserving her energy for when she really needs it. She just has a feeling things aren’t going to be very good no matter what happens.

… why does it sound like she’s about to break up with Kaoru?

“What am I even thinking about?” Misaki violently shakes her head like it’s really going to make her stop thinking about… that. No, she can’t distracted, she needs to prepare. It sounds sort of stupid, having to prepare to tell Kaoru that she’s _not_ a bear but, well, it isn’t as if Misaki ever foresaw that she’d have to convince someone she _wasn’t_ a bear in the first place.

After two hours that feels far longer than they should have, Misaki finally heads over to the park. There’s a strange knot in the middle of her stomach, either from nervousness, or maybe she shouldn’t have had all that coffee earlier. Or she had all that coffee because she was nervous?

… either way, there’s an awful feeling in her gut right now.

“Just go and get it done with,” she mutters to herself. Nothing good will come if she decides to go and let this drag out any longer than it was meant to.

Kaoru’s waiting on a bench in the middle of the park by the time Misaki comes. Did she get there early? Is Kaoru the type to come fifteen minutes early, or two hours early and pretend she came just ten minutes ago? Why is Misaki even thinking about these things?

Kaoru lights up when she notices Misaki approaching, rising to her feet. “Ah? You are… Michelle’s friend.”

 _And Michelle too_ , Misaki desperately wants to say. Wait, that’s what she came here to do.

“Yes, uh, anyway, about that.” Misaki clears her throat, and looks straight at Kaoru. Maybe it’s the way Misaki’s trying to make herself look completely serious, or maybe the way she’s trying really hard to ignore the weird twisting feeling inside of her that it comes out on her face, but Kaoru gets the hint she’s about to say something big.

“So, uh, you’re here for Michelle, right?”

“Oh? How could you possibly—ah, yes. You’re the dear friend of our precious bandmate, of course she’ll tell you everything! But yes, you are correct! I am here for a fated meeting with—”

Misaki quickly waves her hands and cuts off Kaoru. “Right, right! I got it! Yeah, anyway, so, uh, she’s—I mean, _I’ve_ got something to say.”

And Kaoru’s gets some kind of strange twinkle in her eyes, like a light’s gone off in that dim head of hers. “Oh! Say no more, I understand everything!”

“... eh?” Misaki highly doubts that, but also what even is Kaoru talking about now.

“Yes, I’m putting the pieces together…” Kaoru spreads out her arms in some kind of grand gesture that’s very Kaoru-like. “Michelle granted you a favor for a meeting with me, all so you could confess your love for me! Ah! But my own heart already belongs to Michelle! To be caught in such a tragic love triangle between friends, how could my own beauty curse me so—”

Misaki wants to scream and never stop.

“Why—how—why— _no!_ ” This isn’t good, Misaki’s sputtering, but can she blame herself? How is she supposed to respond after hearing something this?! What even goes through Kaoru’s mind?! How could she even come to these conclusions?! How much of a narcissist is she?!

Misaki should’ve asked Kanon to come here. At least, having another presence of reason would’ve kept _herself_ sane for this.

“Are you sure?” Kaoru makes a gesture at her, twisting her wrist in some kind of awkward fashion. Misaki doesn’t understand what it even means. Some kind of Kaoru thing. “Don’t be shy, my little kitten. I have plenty of love to give and—”

“I’m Michelle!”

“... this again?” Kaoru shakes her head. “Such a young and beautiful girl as yourself mustn’t call herself a wild and rough bear—ah, but Michelle is still such a wonderful female bear as well. I mustn’t speak ill of her.”

“ _I’m_ Michelle,” Misaki tries again. Maybe if she says it enough times, it’ll finally get through that thick head of Kaoru’s, not that she thinks much gets through there in the first place. And, maybe something’s finally taking pity on her, because Kaoru finally pauses, blinking at her.

“Michelle’s representative?” she says.

“ _I’m_ Michelle,” Misaki repeats.

“... Michelle’s messenger?” Kaoru’s brow furrows in confusion.

Misaki wants to throw her hands up.

“Okay, you know what, just—just wait here! Wait here!” Kaoru looks confused and is starting to walk toward her. Misaki holds out her hands. “M-Michelle will be here soon! Just give me-er, I mean, Michelle twenty minutes.”

Kaoru immediately brightens with a grin. “Ah, of course. It was a pleasure to talk to you, but I do have a date waiting.”

 _It’s not even a date!_ Misaki wants to scream. Instead, she spins on her heels and marches away, reaching inside for her phone. She’s frantically starting to message Kanon before thinking better of it and calls her up instead. It’ll be easier to explain the mess. “Kanon-san? I need… some help.”

So that’s how, almost an hour later because Kanon got lost and Misaki had to go track her down, Misaki’s walking back down through the park. Rather, Michelle is walking back down through the park. All the kids and their parents are staring at her but frankly, Misaki doesn’t really care. Well, actually, no, she still does, but she’s got something much more important to worry about right now than a bunch of kids.

Kaoru’s sitting down at the bench again by the time Misaki manages to see her. She's at least dedicated to keep waiting even after so long, Misaki will say. Once she sees Misaki—er, Michelle, coming, she immediately stands up, her whole face shining.

“Michelle! How wonderful to see you here!” Kaoru’s turning on the charm, flashing her a smile that could probably light up a dark room. Misaki’s mostly immune to it, by now.

… mostly.

“K-Kaoru-san,” she says before she makes a face at her awkward stutter. This is dumb. Why is she even doing this? Kaoru can’t be _that_... dumb. Kaoru only plays a fool most of the time, Misaki knows, but she’d never be...

Kaoru tilts her head at her, genuine confusion on her face.

Never mind, Misaki no longer doubts Kaoru anymore. Not that she should’ve doubted Kaoru, or her intentions, in the first place.

“I have a secret to tell you,” Misaki says, as gravely and solemnly as she can, which isn’t very hard considering her usual tone of voice.

“Ah? Pray, what is it? And, don’t worry, my lips are absolutely sealed.” Kaoru draws a finger across her lips with a wink. Misaki nearly gags. She’s so glad Michelle’s hiding her face right now, not that she thinks it would’ve made a difference if Kaoru had even seen her real face anyway.

Inside Michelle, Misaki closes her eyes and takes a breath. Her nerves are rattled for whatever reason and this _should be so easy to say_ but she’s… afraid? Of _what_? There should be no reason! She’s already resorted to this, she’s got nothing else to lose!

“I’m not actually a bear,” she blurts out before her nerves give out.

There. There! Finally. That should be it. That’ll be the end of that.

Kaoru’s eyes are wide. Misaki isn’t sure if she’s actually blinked or not. Misaki’s actually starting to feel worried. Was a confession like that too shocking? Maybe Misaki should have eased into it—

No! What is she even saying? Eased her into _what_ , that this pink walking bear suit named Michelle is actually a human being?

No one else in the world would even make that mistake!

… scratch that, Misaki knows exactly three people who do, and one of them is standing in front of her.

Kaoru’s still staring at her. Misaki’s tempted to wave a hand in front of her just to make sure she hasn’t fainted with her eyes open (she wouldn’t even put it past Kaoru to be dramatic even when fainting out of surprise) but for some reason, she can’t move. This is…

This is so _awkward_.

Finally, Kaoru blinks. And blinks again. Another time. Misaki loses count after that. Then, she starts laughing. “Haha! You have such a lovely sense of humor, Michelle! How wonderful, none of the other bears must compare! Truly a bear after my own heart!”

If Misaki could, she would slap a hand to her forehead at this very moment.

“I-I’m really not a real bear! First of all, how do bears even talk?! Second of all, what kind of bears have pink fur?! Third of all—ugh, I shouldn’t even be explaining this in the first place!”

Kaoru shakes her head and sighs. Loudly. “What are you saying, Michelle? Of course you’re a real bear!” She says it so earnestly, so sincerely, so wholeheartedly that Misaki starts to think that maybe she might be—

_Stop stop stopstopstop right there!_

… that was close. She almost got swept up into that. Now she understands why Kanon sometimes falls into her plots so.

Kaoru’s still giving her that same look but Misaki feels herself immune now. Which makes this whole predicament feel, well, even worse than before.

“I’m not sure what else I expected.” Misaki, so lost in her disbelief hasn’t realized she’s said that aloud. Kaoru laughs, and Misaki doesn’t even know _why_.

“I’m sorry for not falling to your trick, my little bear. If you’ll walk with me right now, I promise I’ll be a better audience for your jokes,” Kaoru says, holding out her hand for Michelle to take.

… there’s only one thing left to do. Misaki wishes she didn’t need to resort to this, but she has no other choice.

Misaki grabs Michelle’s head and pulls it off.

Kaoru goes pale.

“M-Michelle! What’s happened?! Why is there a girl—you’re her friend! Do you know where Michelle went?!”

“Oh, dammit! Get it through your thick head! And that’s getting old already!” Misaki starts to jab at herself. “I’m! Michelle! I’m! Both! Misaki! And! Michelle!”

Kaoru slowly puts a hand on her chest, blinking at her. “Michelle?”

“Yes! That’s me! Me!” Misaki jabs at herself again. She’s breathing hard. It’s such a oven inside the suit but she’s getting so worked up over this. Any other person would’ve understood immediately, but no! She’s had to get Kaoru Seta—maybe Misaki should’ve seen this coming, with the way Kaoru doesn’t even understand herself sometimes when she opens her mouth.

Kaoru looks her up and down. Even though she really shouldn’t, Misaki starts to feel a sliver a hope, a tiny bit inside of her that hasn’t been worn tired and weary yet from everything she’s experienced out of Hello! Happy World, a very small bit inside of her that still holds out hope that maybe people and life aren’t as bad as they seem—

“Michelle,” Kaoru says, pointing at the bear head.

“Argh!” Misaki’s so fed up that she reacts without thinking and jams Michelle’s head onto Kaoru.

[](https://www.flickr.com/photos/157641700@N02/41874530144/in/dateposted-public/)

“Ah! Darkness has fallen upon me—no!” Kaoru’s hands flail all over her face, feeling the soft fur under her hands. “Ah hah! This is Michelle’s head upon me! Wait.” And she falls silent instead, her whole body stilling so suddenly that Misaki starts to feel creeped out. “... perhaps, it was _me_ who was Michelle the whole time—”

“I’ve had enough! I’m leaving now! Bye!” Misaki doesn’t even care that she’s unmasked while walking around in her bear costume without her head. This is all so ridiculous. _Honestly,_ how can one person be so…

Kaoru either hasn’t heard her or she’s too busy monologuing to herself about being Michelle at this point to care. Frankly, Misaki doesn’t care either. She’s so _tired_. If Kaoru wants to talk about being Michelle or being a bear or—

Wait a minute.

Misaki narrows her eyes.

… she's too tired for this right now.

After sleeping it on a day, Misaki finally concocts up some kind of excuse to get Kaoru to stop bugging her all the time: “Michelle wants to focus on her studies and she says she’s working to raise money to go to university. She doesn’t have time to play around with you.”

“P-play around?” Kanon frowns at the message. “I think that sounds a little too, um, _strong_ , doesn’t it?”

Misaki reads over the message again, skeptic. “I don’t think so, but I see what you mean. Okay, so, how about… ‘Michelle… doesn’t have time to see you but she appreciates all you’ve done.’ Is that better?”

Kanon nods her head, and seeing she has the Kanon nod-of-approval, Misaki hits send.

“... by the way, Misaki-chan, can bears even go to uni?”

“They do now— _of course not!_ ”

“R-right!”

Things start going back to how they used to be.

For the first day, Kaoru apologizes to Michelle for causing her so much trouble and she’s so sincere about it that even Misaki feels bad, at least until Kaoru starts bemoaning over lost loves and how she needs to be able to move on for the sake of all her little kittens—Misaki stopped listening after a while.

Except this catches Kokoro’s attention, who’s known _nothing_ about the Kaoru’s awful wooing tactics (Hagumi’s seen them from her shop and she’s always given them extra croquettes, which had honestly been… nice) and she tries to write a song to cheer up Kaoru. It goes as well as Misaki expects, a bunch of nonsensical words and sounds written on the paper. But Kaoru only smiles widely and says she's so moved by Kokoro’s song that she'll sing it on stage at her next performance.

“Hahaha! If it put a smile on your face, I'm sure it'll put a smile on everyone else too! Hey, hey, can we make this our next song?” Kokoro’s already bouncing off the walls, eager to sing her latest creation.

“I agree, dear Kokoro! We must get this song out to the masses! My heart is filled with such warmth! Ah, if only this moment could not be so fleeting, we must—”

“U-um, can we _please_ start practice? Our live is in two days!”

In the end, it’s a normal day for Hello! Happy World.

Misaki goes back to her job. Kaoru still passes by, but all she does is wave and greet Misaki in that usual way she does (“Michelle, your fur is looking much finer and softer today than it did yesterday!”) and goes on her way still with the crowd of fangirls following her. It’s quiet, peaceful, just the way Misaki likes it.

… a little boring, but she gets all her excitement from going to band. She doesn’t _need_ anything extra in her life, not when she’s got those three idiots to deal with.

But all in all, though, it hadn’t been bad, Misaki decides.

**Author's Note:**

> shout-out to jboh for the ~~shitposting~~ drawing!!! [go visit her and see the rest of her awesome art!!](https://jboh-art.tumblr.com/)


End file.
